NATURE OF OPERATIONS, CONSOLIDATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
NATURE OF OPERATIONS, CONSOLIDATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS	NATURE OF OPERATIONS, CONSOLIDATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Amedisys, Inc., a Delaware corporation, (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, referred to herein as “Amedisys,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a multi-state provider of home health, hospice and personal care services with approximately 73% and 74% of our revenue derived from Medicare for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018, respectively, and approximately 76% of our revenue derived from Medicare for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017. As of September 30, 2018, we owned and operated 323 Medicare-certified home health care centers, 83 Medicare-certified hospice care centers and 15 personal-care care centers in 34 states within the United States and the District of Columbia. Basis of Presentation In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly our financial position, our results of operations, and our cash flows in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial reporting. Our results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results of our operations for the entire year and have not been audited by our independent auditors. This report should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 28, 2018 (the “Form 10-K”), which includes information and disclosures not included herein. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted from the interim financial information presented, as allowed by such SEC rules and regulations. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) and ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date (collectively, “ASC 606”), the new accounting standards issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) on revenue recognition, using the full retrospective method. ASC 606 outlines a single comprehensive model to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers. The standards supersede existing revenue recognition requirements and eliminate most industry-specific guidance from U.S. GAAP. The core principle of the revenue recognition standard is to require an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which it expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. As a result of the Company's adoption of ASC 606, the revenue and related estimated uncollectible amounts owed to us by non-Medicare payors that were historically classified as a provision for doubtful accounts are now considered a price concession in determining net service revenue. Accordingly, the Company reports uncollectible balances due from third-party payors and uncollectible balances associated with patient responsibility as a reduction of the transaction price and therefore, as a reduction in net service revenue (or as it relates to Hospice room and board, an increase in cost of service, excluding depreciation and amortization) when historically these amounts were classified as a provision for doubtful accounts within operating expenses within our condensed consolidated statements of operations. In addition, the adoption of ASC 606 resulted in increased disclosure, including qualitative and quantitative disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which provides specific guidance on eight cash flow classification issues not specifically addressed by U.S. GAAP. The ASU is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The standard should be applied using a retrospective transition method unless it is impractical to do so for some of the issues. In such case, the amendments for those issues would be applied prospectively as of the earliest date practicable. Our adoption of this standard on January 1, 2018, using a retrospective transition method for each period presented, did not have an effect on our condensed consolidated financial statements. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which provides guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as an acquisition (or disposal) of assets or a business. The ASU is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2018, on a prospective basis. The impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures will depend on the facts and circumstances of any specific future transactions as evaluated under the new framework. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350)—Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge (Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test). Instead, impairment will be measured using the difference between the carrying amount and the fair value of the reporting unit. The ASU is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. We adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2018, on a prospective basis and will apply this guidance to our future tests of goodwill impairment. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which will require lessees to recognize a lease liability and right-of-use asset for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases) at the commencement date. The ASU is effective for annual and interim periods beginning on or after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements, which provides for a prospective transition method for the recognition and disclosure requirements under the new guidance. While the Company expects adoption of this standard to lead to a material increase in the assets and liabilities recorded on our balance sheet, we are still evaluating the overall impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures and the effect of the standard on our ongoing financial reporting. Use of Estimates Our accounting and reporting policies conform with U.S. GAAP. In preparing the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, we are required to make estimates and assumptions that impact the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Reclassifications and Comparability Certain reclassifications have been made to prior periods’ financial statements in order to conform to the current period’s presentation. Effective January 1, 2018, we adopted ASC 606 on a full retrospective basis which required the reclassification of certain previously reported results. See Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for further details on the impact of the adoption of ASC 606. Principles of Consolidation These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Amedisys, Inc., and our wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in our accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, and business combinations accounted for as purchases have been included in our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements from their respective dates of acquisition. In addition to our wholly owned subsidiaries, we also have certain equity investments that are accounted for as set forth below. Equity Investments We consolidate investments when the entity is a variable interest entity and we are the primary beneficiary or if we have controlling interests in the entity, which is generally ownership in excess of 50%. Third party equity interests in our consolidated joint ventures are reflected as noncontrolling interests in our condensed consolidated financial statements. We account for investments in entities in which we have the ability to exercise significant influence under the equity method if we hold 50% or less of the voting stock and the entity is not a variable interest entity in which we are the primary beneficiary. During the three-month period ended September 30, 2018, we made a $3.3 million investment in a healthcare analytics company; this investment will be accounted for under the equity method. The book value of investments that we account for under the equity method of accounting was $31.9 million and $26.4 million as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively and is reflected in other assets within our condensed consolidated balance sheets. We account for investments in entities in which we have less than a 20% ownership interest under the cost method of accounting if we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the investee.

NATURE OF OPERATIONS, CONSOLIDATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Amedisys, Inc., a Delaware corporation, (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, referred to herein as “Amedisys,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a multi-state provider of home health, hospice and personal care services with approximately 73% and 74% of our revenue derived from Medicare for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018, respectively, and approximately 76% of our revenue derived from Medicare for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017. As of September 30, 2018, we owned and operated 323 Medicare-certified home health care centers, 83 Medicare-certified hospice care centers and 15 personal-care care centers in 34 states within the United States and the District of Columbia.

Basis of Presentation

In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly our financial position, our results of operations, and our cash flows in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial reporting. Our results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results of our operations for the entire year and have not been audited by our independent auditors.

This report should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 28, 2018 (the “Form 10-K”), which includes information and disclosures not included herein. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted from the interim financial information presented, as allowed by such SEC rules and regulations.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) and ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date (collectively, “ASC 606”), the new accounting standards issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) on revenue recognition, using the full retrospective method. ASC 606 outlines a single comprehensive model to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers. The standards supersede existing revenue recognition requirements and eliminate most industry-specific guidance from U.S. GAAP. The core principle of the revenue recognition standard is to require an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which it expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. As a result of the Company's adoption of ASC 606, the revenue and related estimated uncollectible amounts owed to us by non-Medicare payors that were historically classified as a provision for doubtful accounts are now considered a price concession in determining net service revenue. Accordingly, the Company reports uncollectible balances due from third-party payors and uncollectible balances associated with patient responsibility as a reduction of the transaction price and therefore, as a reduction in net service revenue (or as it relates to Hospice room and board, an increase in cost of service, excluding depreciation and amortization) when historically these amounts were classified as a provision for doubtful accounts within operating expenses within our condensed consolidated statements of operations. In addition, the adoption of ASC 606 resulted in increased disclosure, including qualitative and quantitative disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which provides specific guidance on eight cash flow classification issues not specifically addressed by U.S. GAAP. The ASU is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The standard should be applied using a retrospective transition method unless it is impractical to do so for some of the issues. In such case, the amendments for those issues would be applied prospectively as of the earliest date practicable. Our adoption of this standard on January 1, 2018, using a retrospective transition method for each period presented, did not have an effect on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which provides guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as an acquisition (or disposal) of assets or a business. The ASU is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2018, on a prospective basis. The impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures will depend on the facts and circumstances of any specific future transactions as evaluated under the new framework.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350)—Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge (Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test). Instead, impairment will be measured using the difference between the carrying amount and the fair value of the reporting unit. The ASU is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. We adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2018, on a prospective basis and will apply this guidance to our future tests of goodwill impairment.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which will require lessees to recognize a lease liability and right-of-use asset for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases) at the commencement date. The ASU is effective for annual and interim periods beginning on or after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements, which provides for a prospective transition method for the recognition and disclosure requirements under the new guidance. While the Company expects adoption of this standard to lead to a material increase in the assets and liabilities recorded on our balance sheet, we are still evaluating the overall impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures and the effect of the standard on our ongoing financial reporting.

Use of Estimates

Our accounting and reporting policies conform with U.S. GAAP. In preparing the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, we are required to make estimates and assumptions that impact the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Reclassifications and Comparability

Certain reclassifications have been made to prior periods’ financial statements in order to conform to the current period’s presentation. Effective January 1, 2018, we adopted ASC 606 on a full retrospective basis which required the reclassification of certain previously reported results. See Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for further details on the impact of the adoption of ASC 606.

Principles of Consolidation

These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Amedisys, Inc., and our wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in our accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, and business combinations accounted for as purchases have been included in our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements from their respective dates of acquisition. In addition to our wholly owned subsidiaries, we also have certain equity investments that are accounted for as set forth below.

Equity Investments

We consolidate investments when the entity is a variable interest entity and we are the primary beneficiary or if we have controlling interests in the entity, which is generally ownership in excess of 50%. Third party equity interests in our consolidated joint ventures are reflected as noncontrolling interests in our condensed consolidated financial statements.

We account for investments in entities in which we have the ability to exercise significant influence under the equity method if we hold 50% or less of the voting stock and the entity is not a variable interest entity in which we are the primary beneficiary. During the three-month period ended September 30, 2018, we made a $3.3 million investment in a healthcare analytics company; this investment will be accounted for under the equity method. The book value of investments that we account for under the equity method of accounting was $31.9 million and $26.4 million as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively and is reflected in other assets within our condensed consolidated balance sheets. We account for investments in entities in which we have less than a 20% ownership interest under the cost method of accounting if we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the investee.